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Taco Bell Chihuahua
Gidget Chipperton (February 7, 1994 – July 21, 2009), better known as the Taco Bell Chihuahua, was an American dog actress, best known for appearing in the Taco Bell commercials as its male chihuahua mascot from 1997 to 2000. She was the pet of Karen McElhatton. In July 2009, Gidget suffered a stroke in her trainer Sue Chipperton's home and was euthanized at age 15. She was cremated and her ashes were retained by Chipperton. A Famous Dog's Life: The Story of Gidget, America's Most Beloved Chihuahua, a book about Gidget's life, was published on May 3, 2011. Early life Gidget was born on February 7, 1994 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California. She was adopted by Karen McElhatton, who has stated, "Gidget traveled first-class, opened up the New York Stock Exchange, and made an appearance at Madison Square Garden." After her retirement, Gidget remained the object of affection, often going on hikes and beach visits with her trainer Sue Chipperton. She aged gracefully and liked nothing more than to sleep in the sunlight. McElhatton also said, "She was like a little old lady. She'd kind of gotten smaller."Associated Press, "Taco Bell Chihuahua Dies", http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-207_162-5181327.html, July 22, 2009 Due to the commercials ending in 2000, people assumed it was because Gidget had passed away, but she did not die until 9 years later. A book about Gidget's life titled A Famous Dog's Life: The Story of Gidget, America's Most Beloved Chihuahua was published by Sue Chipperton and Rennie Dyball in 2011. Career In a 1997 Taco Bell commercial, Gidget portrayed a male chihuahua who proclaims in a richly Spanish accent, "¡Yo quiero Taco Bell!" (Spanish for "I want {some} Taco Bell!") through special effects and a voice actor (Carlos Alazraqui). Many people have criticized the commercial for this, considering it racist and making fun of Mexicans; thus, they reported this to the Taco Bell company and requested the commercials be taken off the air (which they were shortly thereafter). In the commercial's synopsis (in which the Taco Bell Chihuahua makes his debut appearance), the chihuahua notices a female chihuahua waiting for him and is lovestruck. He runs over to her to greet her, only to run past her — thus embarrassing and disappointing her — and over to a man eating a taco and gets his attention by staring up at him and then saying his catchphrase. In response, the man stares blankly at the chihuahua, shocked that he spoke to him in perfect English. In later years, Gidget did other acting work, appearing in a 2002 commercial for GEICO once again as the Taco Bell chihuahuaRob Walker, "The Recycled Mascot, Why is the Taco Bell Chihuahua Selling Car Insurance?", http://www.slate.com/articles/business/ad_report_card/2002/08/the_recycled_mascot.html, August 26, 2002 and as Bruiser's mother in Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde.IGN, "Gidget Profile", http://stars.ign.com/objects/022/022326.html, May 29, 2012 Reception The commercials made the Taco Bell mascot wildly popular and an extremely lovable character that everyone had praised over the years. However, the commercials have also received criticism from activists who accused them of promoting Hispanic stereotypes and poking fun at Mexican people. Due to these constant reports, the commercials had stopped airing in 2000. Death On July 21, 2009, Gidget suffered a massive stroke in the home of her trainer Sue Chipperton. Afterwards, she was forced to be euthanized at the veterinarian. She was cremated and her ashes were retained by Chipperton, who was devastated by Gidget's death. Gidget was 15 years old at the time of her death. Coincidentally, this was a day after Carlos Alazraqui's 47th birthday and he also mourned Gidget's death. Taco Bell Corp. said in a statement that Gidget would be missed by many fans and said, "Our deepest sympathies go out to her owners and fans." Trivia * At least 3 chihuahuas were used as models for the lead role: The original dog was named Dinky, but was immediately replaced by director Kinka Usher with another dog named Taco. However, he was replaced by Gidget, who was originally cast as the Taco Bell Chihuahua's girlfriend. * The chihuahua is a breed commonly associated with Mexico, as are the tacos that Taco Bell serves. * The Taco Bell Chihuahua is also known for speaking less contractions in his vocabulary. Gallery Taco Bell Dog.jpg Taco Bell Chihuahua.png Taco Bell Dog.png GIDGET.png 090722-gidget-taco-bell-hmed-9a.jpg Taco Bell Chihuahua Robot Chicken.png|The Taco Bell Chihuahua parodied in Robot Chicken References Category:Characters